This invention relates generally to handle assemblies for motor vehicles and more particularly to an improved attaching arrangement for mounting a flush-type outside door handle assembly in an exterior body panel aperture.
One example of a prior art outside handle assembly mounting arrangement presently used on Chrysler Corporation vehicles is shown in the U.S. Pat. No. 5,340,174 issued to Bender et al. on Aug. 23, 1994. Vehicle handles, such as the Bender et al. door handle for example, are received at the vehicle assembly plant separate from the attaching brackets and fastener end item parts required to mount the handle to the body panel. This requires an additional end item be handled separately from the handle together with several manual operations needed to attach the handle to the door panel using the bracket and fastener parts.
Another example of a vehicle handle attaching arrangement is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,238,276 issued Aug. 24, 1993 to Burns. The Burns patent discloses a handle assembly comprising a release handle mounted within a recess of the handle housing which is adapted for flush installation in an exterior vehicle door panel aperture. The housing is mounted in the panel aperture in a rocked-in manner with its terminal flange overlying the aperture recessed flanged border. The housing central body has an inboard projecting stem adapted to support a clip which, when fixed to the stem by a fastener, locks the handle assembly in the panel aperture.